Monday, 11 July 2016

New Delhi: Supreme Court today sought the government’s response on a
plea of an ex-servicemen’s body seeking implementation of One Rank One
Pension (OROP) as recommended by the Koshyari Committee with an
automatic annual revision, instead of the current policy of periodic
review once in five years.

A bench comprising Justices Dipak Misra and C Nagappan issued notice and sought the response from the government in eight weeks.

The Indian Ex-servicemen Movement (IESM) and others have challenged
the government’s policy of periodic review of pension once in five
years, saying such an approach was dilution of the February 26, 2014
announcement by which the revision in pension was to automatically pass
on to the past pensioners on an annual basis.

They have contended that five-yearly periodic review did not meet the
demand of the ex-servicemen seeking OROP for the service personnel who
had retired with same length of service in the same rank.

“OROP is the uniform desire of all three defence services.
Ex-servicemen are presently drawing pension that is not consistent with
their rank and/or length of service. In fact, some ex-servicemen are
even drawing lesser pension than other ex-servicemen who retired with a
subordinate rank or (in the same rank) which is unjust and
unconstitutional,” the petition said.

It said that the Centre’s February 3, 2016 letter sent to the chiefs
of Army, Navy and Air Force on OROP was “unjust, arbitrary and violative
of Article 14 and 21 of the constitution.”

The plea sought a direction to the Centre “that the pension of past
pensioners be automatically and contemporaneously enhanced, whenever
there is any future increase or enhancement in the rates of pension.”
It further said the government should be directed to fix the pension
on the basis of highest pension of financial year 2014-15 and not 2013.

IESM in its petition has referred to the December 19, 2011, report of
Rajya Sabha’s Petition Committee then headed by Bhagat Singh Koshyari
which rejected all reservation advanced by the government while
“strongly recommending” OROP.

In its 142nd report, the Koshyari Committee had said, “the Committee
strongly recommends that Government should implement OROP in the defence
forces across the board at the earliest”.

The Finance Ministry official involved with the process of pay hike
told The Sen Times on condition of anonymity that government is facing
the classic dilemma on the subject of issuing of notification of
implementation of 7th pay commission recommendations.

He lamented
that the 7th pay commission recommendations has been approved by the
cabinet on June 29, but has yet to implement because it takes time for
hiking of minimum pay, which has been demanded by the central government
employees unions.

The Finance Ministry and the Prime Minister’s
Office (PMO) are seeking to issue the notification of implementation of
7th pay commission recommendations shortly as approved by cabinet.

On
the other hand, if faced with the dilemma of having to accept central
government employees unions demands of hiking minimum pay and fitment
factor through a high-level committee, the government would likely opt
for the latter. The Finance ministry in its statement said, high-level
committee will submit its report within four months with assistance from
Finance ministry, but it appears that it may take time more than four
months.

The Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Finance Minister
Arun Jaitley and Railways Minister Suresh Prabhu assured the unions
leaders that the issues raised by them would be considered by the High
Level Committee, which will soon be set up.

The Cabinet ditto with
the 7h Pay Commission recommendations, the commission recommended 23.55
per cent hike in salaries, allowances and pensions and a 14.27 per cent
increase in basic pay for Central government employees, the lowest in
70 years.

The cabinet has increased the minimum pay from existing
Rs 7000 to Rs 18,000 while the central government employees’ unions are
demanding minimum pay Rs. 26,000. The cabinet took fitment factor 2.57
to hike basic pay only 14.27 per percent but the employees’ Unions are
demanding 3.68 fitment factor.
This is despite the fact that pay
hikes have a greater impact on the exchequer, the government is bound to
accept the unions demands.

Now, the government tactic is to delay
implementation of 7th pay commission recommendations, so it is likely
to have a ripple effect and devaluation of Indian currency likely to hit
in coming months.

Bank Strike – The government is diverting the attention of the
people by such steps like privatisation and consolidation as a means to
improve efficiency and profitability of the banks.Nationwide
Bank Strike for 2 days – All India Bank Officers’ Association and State
Sector Bank Employees’ Association will also participate in the strike.

Banking
operations could be hit for two days this week as a section of public
sector bank employees have threatened to go on a nationwide bank strike
beginning July 12 to protest against the proposed merger of SBI
associates and privatisation of IDBI Bank.

All India Bank Officers’
Association and State Sector Bank Employees’ Association will also
participate in the strike. The strike would be observed by five SBI
associate banks on July 12, followed by other public sector banks next
day on July 13.

In the event of the Bank strike taking place, the
normal banking operations may get affected on July 12 and July 13, State
Bank of Mysore said in a statement. Services like cheque clearances,
cash deposit and withdrawal at bank branches and other facilities would
affected too in case of the strike.

Venkatachalam said unions have
explained the issues involved in Bank strike notice in detail as to why
the proposed closure of Associate Banks and their merger with SBI,
proposed privatisation of IDBI Bank and so on are unwarranted. He
emphasised that effective measures to recover the alarmingly increasing
bad loans is the real top priority for banks.

“We stated that
instead of taking stringent measures against wilful and deliberate
defaulters, the government is diverting the attention of the people by
such steps like privatisation and consolidation as a means to improve
efficiency and profitability of the banks,” he said.

Jammu: The Jammu and Kashmir government joint consultative committee
(JCC) has urged Chief Minister Mehbooba Mufti not to defer the
recommendations of the seventh Pay Commission and implement the same at
the earliest.

“It is very unfortunate that the state government decided to defer
the implementation of the seventh Pay Commission by two years, we urge
the state government to implement the recommendations at the earliest,”
JCC member Amrik Singh said today.

He said while the state government has enhanced the salaries of the
MLAs and MLCs, the reluctance to implement the recommendation of the
seventh pay commission for the employee was an “injustice” with the
working community.

Singh said that the JCC would be left with no other option but to
launch an agitation for the implementations of the recommendations of
the pay commission.

CRC meeting held on 29/07/2013. Decision with the approval of MaS
(PP) and FM has been communicated to the Ministry of Railways on
09/10/2013 for taking Cabinet approval.

2.

Indian Naval Material Management Service

The CRC meeting held on 24/10/2013. Comments of DoPT on Cabinet Note have been provided to Ministry of Defence on 21/1/2015.

3.

Indian P&T Acctt. and Fin.Service

CRC meeting held on 17/09/2015. Approval of MaS (PP) and FM has been
conveyed to Department of Telecom on 17/11/2015 for taking Cabinet
approval. DoT has circulated draft Note for the Cabinet. Comments of
DoPT on Cabinet Note have been provided to DoT on 07/1/2016.

4.

Ministry of Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSME)

CRC Meeting held on 28/12/2015. Approval of MoS (PP) and FM has been obtained. MSME has to take the approval of Cabinet.

5.

Indian Information Service

CRC Meeting held on 05/05/2016. Approval of MoS(PP) & FM has been obtained
and conveyed to MoI&B for approval of Cabinet

6.

Central Engineering Service (Roads)

CRC Meeting held on 24/05/2016. Approval of MoS(PP) & FM has been obtained
and conveyed to MoRTH for approval of Cabinet

2. With Cabinet Secretariat (2)

7.

Indian Telecom Service

As per recommendation of CRC meeting of Group of Officers
held on 06.06.2016/15.06.2016 and distribution of posts have been finalized

8.

Border Security Force

Approval of Secretary(P) & Secretary (Expenditure) has been obtained and
proposal sent for consideration of CRC.

3. With Department of Expenditure (11)

9.

Indian Railways Personnel Service

Approval of Secretary (P) has been obtained and proposal sent to DoE for approval of Secretary (Expenditure) on 31/05/2016.

10.

Indian Railways Traffic Service

-do-

11.

Indian Railways Stores Service

Approval of Secretary (P) has been obtained and proposal sent to DoE for approval of Secretary (Expenditure) on 02/06/2016.

12.

Indian Railways Service of
Mechanical Engineers

-do-

13.

Indian Railways Accounts Service

Approval of Secretary (P) has been obtained and proposal sent to DoE for approval of Secretary (Expenditure) on 03/06/2016.

14.

Indian Railways Service of Electrical Engineers

Approval of Secretary (P) has been obtained and proposal sent to DoE for approval of Secretary (Expenditure) on 06/06/2016.

15.

Indian Railways Service of Engineers

-do-

16.

Indian Railways Service of Signal Engineers

-do-

17.

Indian Defence Accounts Service

Approval of Secretary (P) has been obtained. The proposal has been
sent to DoE on 21.06.2016 for approval of Secretary (Expenditure).

4. With Department of Personnel & Training (0)

5. With Ministry concerned for clarifications (2)

18.

Petroleum Explosive Safety Organisation (PESO)

Proposal from DIPP to form a new Organised Group A Service has been
examined and the observations of DoPT have been sent on 19/04/2016.
Clarifications awaited from Ministry of Commerce.